Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer

KEY POINTS

As a general obligation, parties must take appropriate measures to protect human health and the environment against adverse effects resulting or likely to result from human activities which modify or are likely to modify the ozone layer. In particular, on the basis of relevant scientific and technical considerations, parties must:

• adopt appropriate legislative or administrative measures;
• cooperate
  • on systematic observations, research and information exchange to better understand the issues involved
  • in formulating measures, procedures, standards and harmonising appropriate policies
  • with competent international bodies to effectively implement the Convention and its Protocols.

Ozone layer research and scientific assessments involving the parties, either directly or within international bodies, focus on:

• physical and chemical processes;
• human health and other biological effects, particularly changes in ultraviolet solar radiation;
• climatic effects;
• substances, practices, processes and activities, and their cumulative impact;
• effects deriving from any modifications of the ozone layer;
• alternative substances and technologies;
• related socio-economic issues;
• more detailed factors, such as the physics and chemistry of the atmosphere and specific chemical substances, are set out in the Annexes.

In addition, parties must:

• facilitate and encourage the exchange of scientific, technical, socio-economic, commercial and legal information relevant to the convention (Annex II spells this out in greater detail);
• cooperate, taking account of developing countries’ needs, in promoting the development and transfer of technology by
  • helping partners to acquire alternative technologies
  • providing the necessary information, such as manuals and guides
  • supplying research equipment and facilities
  • training scientific and technical personnel;
• inform the decision-making body (the Conference of the Parties) of the measures they have taken to implement the convention.

The Conference of the Parties (on which all signatory countries are represented and have a vote):

• monitors implementation of the convention;
• reviews scientific information;
• promotes appropriate harmonised policies, strategies and measures;
• adopts programmes on research, scientific and technological cooperation, exchange of information and transfer of technology and knowledge;
• considers and adopts amendments to the convention and possible additional protocols;
• when appropriate, calls on the expertise of bodies such as the World Meteorological Organization and the World Health Organization;
• tries to settle any disputes on interpretation or application of the convention by negotiation or third party mediation. If these fail, the issue may be referred to a conciliation commission or the International Court of Justice;
• is supported by a secretariat.

After the convention has been in force for 4 years, a party may announce its intention to leave. This takes effect 1 year later.